Of Broomsticks and Boys
by Adnama
Summary: "No way. Absolutely not. That broomstick is worth more than Pete's life." "Hey!" Peter exclaimed. Sirius ran his hand through his hair. "There's no way I'm letting you on my broom." He suddenly smirked, "Well, at least not that broom."
1. Of Broomsticks

Of Broomsticks and Boys

A/N: Depending on the response I get to this (i.e. reviews), this may or may not be a short one. Let me know what you think! Don't forget to review!

Chapter 1 – Of Broomsticks

Of all the sneaky, underhanded, _vile_ things Sirius Black had done in our last six years at Hogwarts, this was by far the worst. Worse than the time he hexed the words 'Lusty Lucy' on the back of every robe I owned, and the time I spent a month in the hospital wing re-growing my nose and ears thanks to his botched attempt at a vanishing spell. I was still fuming over that last one. I hadn't been able to smell properly for weeks.

But this time, he'd gone too far. Nobody messed with my broom, especially the day before our match against Slytherin. I stalked through the corridors towards the Gryffindor common room, looking, I'd imagine, very much like a badger zeroing in on its prey. I passed some frightened-looking second years and shoved an oblivious Ravenclaw out of my way before rounding the corner and climbing the moving staircase. Each step was another opportunity to stomp on Sirius' face. Finally, I reached the corridor where the Gryffindor common room was rumored to be. I slowed down and retreated nonchalantly into a shadowy alcove near a portrait of a grotesquely fat woman. Hopefully some unsuspecting Gryffindor would pass by and lead me to the common room.

Forty minutes later, I stood up from my cramped position on the floor, my knees cracking. The anger that had fueled my journey into Gryffindor territory was almost gone, disappearing with the last of the feeling in my legs. I had just decided to give up when the portrait of the enormous woman on my right swung open, nearly sending me careening into a suit of armour. I swallowed the gasp that had almost blown my cover. Two Gryffindor Prefects, Emily Thompson and Geoffrey Malcolm, hurried down the corridor, their heads bent together, fervently discussing something immensely boring.

I slipped through the diminishing crack between the portrait and the wall and entered the lion's den. Immediately, I was assaulted by the smell of dungbombs. The marauders were close—all I had to do was follow the stench. The common room, thankfully, was empty, so I climbed the stairs, following my nose. One door short of the top of the stairs, the smell intensified and I pushed the cracked door open a few inches more and peered into the dim room. Seated on the floor were the infamous marauders, all huddled over a cauldron, watching Remus Lupin stir the pungent contents.

"How much longer, Moony? I reckon we only have about five more minutes before Thompson and Malcolm return with McGonagall," worried Peter Pettigrew from his position next to the tawny-haired boy.

"Ten minutes," Remus muttered before dropping what looked like beetle wings into the mixture.

Sirius and James exchanged mischievous looks. "We could always set a few more dungbombs off downstairs. Worked like a charm the first time. The common room cleared in record time," James offered innocently.

"No!" Peter squeaked. "We'll get in even more trouble than we already are. Besides, we're almost out of dungbombs and we've still got another three weeks 'til the next Hogsmeade trip."

"Pete's right. We have to ration our supply. It's time to get creative, boys," Remus said slyly.

All four boys grinned, their faces almost sinister in the dimly lit room. Sirius was the first to move, shifting back until he could reach into his pant's pocket. He withdrew his wand and twirled it deviously with his long, nimble fingers. "Let's see. We need something that will not only give us more time, but also be completely untraceable." He grinned. "I love a challenge."

He stood, still twirling his wand, and paced around the room, obviously rifling through his rather extensive database of Hogwarts-banned spells and jinxes. Unable to help myself, I leaned forward to get a better look at what was bubbling in the cauldron. It had to be something fairly dangerous, and most likely forbidden within the confines of Hogwarts, or the boys wouldn't be so reluctant to scrap it in favor of avoiding McGonagall's anger. I grabbed the doorknob to steady myself when the sound of the portrait opening downstairs startled me. I crashed forward into the door and landed with a thump on the floor. Four shocked expressions met my gaze before all eyes shifted to the doorway behind me.

James tugged me off the floor and onto a bed with a harshly whispered, "Not a sound," and yanked the curtain closed. Surrounded by darkness, I listened to the commotion on the other side of the curtain.

"Sirius. Handle this," Remus said tensely.

A brief pause. Then a muffled incantation. Three heartbeats later, the sound of rushing water filled my ears. Shrieks from the stairs were almost drowned out by the sheer noise erupting from the ceiling. The door swung shut with a bang.

I peer cautiously into the room. Sirius was leaning heavily against the door, his clothes soaked and his hair plastered to his forehead. Remus was still stirring the potion, and James and Peter were frantically picking up empty vials and crushed ingredients and shoving them into their trunks.

"Problem solved," Sirius said smugly.

"What the hell was that?" I said sharply as I slid off the bed and landed awkwardly on a pile of dirty socks.

Once again, four heads swiveled my direction, but this time two of the four were glaring. "None of your business. What are you doing here, Lucy? The boys' dormitories are off limits. And come to think of it, so is the Gryffindor common room," James answered caustically. Sirius remained silent but continued to glare.

I remembered my earlier anger and pointed at Sirius. "Ask that swine what he did to my broom!"

Sirius began, with a rather smug look on his aristocratic face, "I charmed—"

"He charmed my broom to fly backwards!" I interrupted, fuming.

He grinned and opened his mouth to continue, "Ah, but the trick is—"

"—it _only_ flies backwards!" I cut him off again. He looked disgruntled, as if I had stolen his moment to shine. "We play Slytherin tomorrow. Slytherin! I would have thought you blokes, of all people, would understand the importance of a Hufflepuff win tomorrow."

James and Sirius exchanged grimaces. "Yeah. Didn't think that one through," Sirius muttered. James rolled his eyes.

"Easily fixed, mate. Just take the spell off her broom." James looked at him expectantly.

Sirius shrugged and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. "Can't. I found it in Moony's irreversible spells book. The one we got him for his birthday last year."

"You mean the one you guys bought because you wanted to use it for pranks against Snape?" Remus interrupted, lifting his eyebrow at their guilty expressions.

"Umm, yeah, that one." Sirius grumbled. "I thought it would be best if I used a spell she couldn't remove. It wears off, though," he added helpfully. "…eventually."

I crossed my arms and glared. "So what do I do now?"

Remus stepped forward. "If I may interrupt." He paused for my nod. "Why not just borrow Sirius' broom? He flies a Shooting Star 500."

Sirius balked at that idea, "No way. Absolutely not. That broomstick is worth more than Pete's life."

"Hey!" Peter exclaimed.

Sirius ran his hand through his hair. "No offense, Pete." He turned his dark eyes to me, ignoring Peter's offended expression. "There's no way I'm letting you on my broom." He suddenly smirked, "Well, at least not _that_ broom."

"In my nightmares, Black. But the choice is yours. Either you lend me your broom or I tell McGonagall about your little potions experiment." I nodded towards the now simmering cauldron. Remus had returned to check its progress. He looked up with wide eyes.

"Just give it to her, Sirius. We can't afford to blow this."

Groaning, Sirius stalked to his trunk and reverently lifted his broom from where it was leaning against the open lid. He cradled it lovingly in his hands before handing it over. I grasped it delicately and admired its sleek handle and well-groomed bristles. I whistled. "How's it handle?" I asked breathlessly.

"Like a well-cast spell," he admitted grudgingly, his voice dipping low so as not to disturb the moment. James rolled his eyes at our hushed exchange. "Take care of her."

Recognizing this as a big step for him, I hugged the broom to my chest. "I'll treat her as I would my own." We smiled tentatively at each other.

The moment was broken by a loud snort and a slap on Sirius' back. "For Merlin's sake, Padfoot, it's not like you're giving away a child. Your broom will be back, safe and sound, tomorrow after the match. Right, Lucy?" I nodded. "See? Not so bad."

He swiftly spun me around and started pushing me towards the door. "Now, we have some business to attend to, so you'll have to excuse us."

"Whoa, wait." I dug my feet into the floor to slow our progress. "You never answered my question. What did you do to the hallway? Is it safe to leave?"

"Oh, it should be right as rain by now," he said as he opened the door and shoved me out.

"What do you mean _should be_?" I shrieked. But it was too late. The door slammed in my face. "Damn it." I peered cautiously over my shoulder, half expecting to see a lake instead of a common room. Judging by the dark, wet stains on the ceiling and just about everything else, a few minutes earlier and there might have been a lake down there.

I darted down the stairs, annoyed by the squelching sound my shoes made on the soaking carpet. I remembered just in time that I was illegally in the Gryffindor common room and ducked behind a straight-backed chair as McGonagall turned from drying the tapestries on the wall to march up the boys' staircase.

Feeling smug and just a little bit vindictive, I whispered 'good luck, boys,' before scooting out the portrait hole and heading back to Hufflepuff Commons.

**A/N: Don't forget to review!**


	2. Of Boys

A/N: I wrote this chapter to avoid grading papers. I'm sure I'll catch hell tomorrow from my students, but I think it was worth it. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to review!

Chapter 2 – Of Boys

The party in the Hufflepuff common room was just beginning to hit full-swing when I returned from the quidditch pitch. Unlike the rest of the team, I had stayed behind in the locker room to rinse the sweat off my bruised body. It was only when the pitch torches were doused that I noticed how late it had gotten and hurriedly dressed and rushed back to the castle. By the time I reached the statue of Helga Hufflepuff, the entrance to the common room, my legs felt limp and my arms ached from the rigorous workout all chasers endured.

I made my way through the throng of giddy celebrants and sunk into one of the many plush armchairs scattered before the fireplace. A groan of relief slipped out before I could stop it, causing the two third-years playing Exploding Snap to glance up from their game.

The boy closest to the fire, a porky blond boy with a pug nose, narrowed his eyes at the broomstick resting across my lap. "Say, isn't that a Shooting Star 500? Marigold Harper rides one of those! How'd you get one?"

His friend looked up from the cards in his hand and wrinkled his nose, "Who's Marigold Harper?"

The blond boy looked at him in horror. "Who's Marigold Harper? What – how—," he stuttered, seemingly unable to fathom such ignorance. "Don't you follow the Wimbourne Wasps? Marigold Harper is only the best chaser in the league! Maybe even the world!"

I interrupted his tirade. "Lewis, shut your gob. Not everyone's as quidditch obsessed as you. Besides, Harper isn't the best chaser in the league. Turner is. Don't you agree, Martin?" I grinned at the surprised look on the smaller boy's face. Dark-haired with sharp features he would eventually grow into, Martin blushed and nodded.

Lewis watched his friend's face grow increasingly red. "What's wrong with you? Are you sick?" He reached forward to push his hand against Martin's forehead. Martin ducked.

"It's nothing. I'm fine," he blushed even harder.

I decided to spare my new friend the humiliation of admitting to fancying an older girl. "It's Sirius Black's." At Lewis' confused look, I clarified, "The broom. It's Black's. He gave it to me because he hexed mine and the hex hasn't worn off yet. Beauty, isn't it?"

Both boys nodded. Martin reached out to touch the gleaming handle before asking, "Do you get to keep it?"

"Nope. In fact, I should probably return it to him now. I promised to have it back to him after the match." I looked at my watch. "Reckon I can make it to the Gryffindor common room without landing in detention with Filch?"

"You know where the Gryffindor common room is?" Lewis asked excitedly. He bounced up and down in his seat. "Will you show us?"

"No way. You'll have to find it on your own. Consider it a rite of passage. Nobody handed me a map of Hogwarts in my third year and I survived. I expect you'll have to figure the castle out on your own." I rose and started for the door, calling over my shoulder, "Don't stay up too late, boys." I laughed at the affronted look on Lewis' face and winked at Martin, causing him to blush once again.

I pushed my way through the boisterous crowd and slipped out of the common room unnoticed. I quietly made my way down the corridor towards the third floor staircase. I hadn't arranged a specific time or place to return Sirius' broom, and he hadn't approached me after the match to claim it, so I was taking a chance wandering through the halls after curfew, but I figured risking a detention was better than risking Sirius' retaliation if he thought I'd made off with his broom.

After a close call on the moving staircase, I finally reached the portrait of the fat woman. I raised my hand to knock when the portrait spoke, "Password?"

I jumped in surprise and looked wildly around until I remembered I was a witch and portraits moved and talked in the wizarding world. "Duh," I berated myself.

"Sorry. Try again," the woman replied merrily.

"No, I didn't mean—," I started, but then realized I didn't know what I meant. I tried again. "What I mean to say is I'm not a Gryffindor. I'm a Hufflepuff. I just need to speak to Sirius Black."

"Why on earth would you want to do that?" she asked with disdain. "The boy's a menace."

I snorted. "Although I agree with you wholeheartedly, I'm afraid this meeting can't be avoided. I've something of his to return." I held up the broom as if presenting evidence in court.

She sighed heavily, "If you must…" Without turning her head, she shrieked, "Sir Cadogan! Sir Cadogan! A moment please!" She fixed her eyes once more on me and arched her brow as if to ask, 'are you sure?'

I tapped my foot impatiently. The longer I lingered in the corridor, the greater my chance of getting caught. Moments later, a knight riding a fat, white steed galloped into the smaller portrait hanging next to the fat woman's.

"You bellowed, my lady? What service might I perform for your loveliness?" The knight hopped off his horse and bowed deeply.

The fat woman blushed and waved her fan in front of her face. "Oh, Sir Cadogan, you flirt!" She fluttered her eyelashes girlishly. "I hope you don't mind, but I need to beg a favor."

"Anything for you, my sweet."

She giggled, fluttering her eyelashes rapidly, and flapped the fan vigorously. "Well, seeing as I cannot leave my post," _flutter_, _flutter_, "and seeing as this young Hufflepuff cannot gain entrance to the Gryffindor common room," _flap_, _flap_, "would you mind retrieving Sirius Black from his dormitory?"

I suddenly felt nauseated.

"It would be my pleasure to do you such a favor! I shall return as quickly as my heart beats when I am in your presence." With one last deep bow, he jumped on his horse and galloped out of frame.

I crossed my arms and huffed impatiently. I studiously avoided the fat woman's eyes, and I suspected she was doing the same. Suddenly, the portrait swung open and Sirius stepped into the dimly lit corridor. He looked—different. His hair, normally neatly arrayed, was sticking up at a funny angle in the back and his grey eyes, usually so alert and tinged with condescension, were unguarded with sleep. His ever-present smirk slid off his face upon seeing me standing in the shadows.

"Lucy? What are you doing here?" He tugged self-consciously at his worn t-shirt, the act revealing his discomfort at wearing the garment at all. His plaid pajama pants hung low on his hips, and I wondered absently if he felt as uncomfortable as I did. Probably not.

"I'm returning this." I shoved the broom into his chest. He automatically reached up to grasp it with both hands. "Thanks for letting me borrow it. I think it won the match for us." I grinned.

"That was all you, Jones," he responded gruffly, uncomfortably. "A broom's only as good as its rider."

I ducked my head, embarrassed by his unsolicited praise. "Yeah, well, I'm sure it helped. So thanks."

I stuck my hand out. It hung awkwardly in the air for a few moments as he searched my face for something. He apparently found what he was searching for because he gently wrapped his long fingers around my own and pressed his palm intimately to mine. It was uncomfortable and sweaty, but I couldn't help noticing the thrill that went down my spine.

I quickly let go and cleared my throat. He grinned slightly and glanced down the hall, letting the moment pass without comment. He suddenly looked at his watch. "You hungry?" I sent him a bewildered look. "I know where to score some leftovers," he added enticingly, waggling his eyebrows.

"I don't know," I hesitated. "What if someone catches us?"

"Scared?" He taunted.

"No! Just cautious. Unlike you, I don't like to spend all of my free time with Filch." Argus Filch was the new caretaker at Hogwarts. He was young, probably not much older than the seventh years, but he had a mean streak a mile wide. Rumors of students hanging up by their toenails in the dungeons surfaced shortly after his arrival. That was enough to convince me to stay clear away.

Sirius continued, ignoring me. "Huh, I wouldn't have pegged you for a coward, Jones." He leaned his broom behind a suit of armor, hiding it from view. "But if you're too afraid to take a little trip to the kitchens with me, I won't force you."

He turned as if heading to the kitchens. I watched him walk a few paces before jogging to catch up with him.

We walked in silence for a few moments, darting in and out of shadows, before I finally muttered, "Coward my arse."

He glanced at me in amusement before freezing. He tilted his ear towards a sound only he apparently could hear. In that moment, he reminded me strangely of a dog. Moving quickly, he shoved me behind a tapestry and darted in behind me. He peered out from behind the heavy fabric to keep watch. Soon enough, even I heard the shuffling footsteps drawing nearer. I held my breath.

"Slughorn," Sirius whispered. He shifted farther back into the tapestry, bumping his shoulder against mine. The small space behind the fabric was quickly growing warm. I felt sweat begin to form at the back of my neck.

The footsteps stopped in front of our hiding place. Long, tense moments passed. "What's he doing," I breathed in Sirius' ear.

He shuddered. Was he scared? He shrugged and cautiously poked his head out from behind the tapestry. He let out a soft breath. "He's just sitting there, on the bench, staring out the window. I think he's charting the stars."

"How do we get rid of him?"

Sirius grinned and said quietly, "I thought you'd never ask." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a hand mirror. He stared intently at his reflection.

"That's not exactly what I had in mind," I whispered harshly. "Now is not the time to fawn over your good looks."

He glared at me and fiercely mouthed, "It's a two-way mirror, you git." He tapped his wand to the smooth surface three times before shoving it back into his pocket.

I stared at him dumbly. "That's it? Did you even do anything?"

"Just wait."

The next five minutes ticked by slowly. We passed the time volleying hushed insults back and forth until we heard Peeves somewhere a few stories down cackle, "Student out of bed! Student out of bed!"

We heard a sigh, a crinkle of paper, and then receding footsteps. Sirius poked his head out again and declared the corridor empty. We filed out of our hiding place and stood in the moonlight.

"Okay, spill. How did you manage that?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Let's just say James owed me a favor."

I rolled my eyes and leaned against the stone wall of the corridor. "Fine. Be mysterious."

"I'm already tall, dark, and handsome. I don't think I can convincingly pull off mysterious with all that multi-tasking." He grinned at his own cleverness. "I can, however, pull off hungry. Let's go."

"I think we should just scrap this barmy idea and go to bed," I said nervously glancing up and down the hall.

"Don't be ridiculous. We came all this way. We're not turning back." He started off down the corridor again. I sighed and followed, but stopped abruptly when he smirked and asked, "So, you think I'm good looking, huh?"

I smacked him and pushed past to walk deeper into the interior of the castle.

We headed down several flights before coming to a stop before a portrait of a bowl of fruit. He stood on his tiptoes and tickled a pear. Much to my surprise, the portrait swung open to reveal a large kitchen and several house elves flitting around the room.

Upon seeing us enter, the house elves froze. The closest one, a female wearing a pristine pink tea cozy, stepped forward and curtseyed at Sirius. "How may Pinkie help, sir?"

Sirius knelt so that he could look Pinkie in the eye. "Pinkie, how many times do I have to ask you to call me, Sirius?"

"Always one more, sir, one more." She bobbed.

"Very well. Could you please get me a hot chocolate, Pinkie? I've been dreaming about it for ages!" He glanced back at me. "Want something?"

"Hot chocolate is fine."

"Make that two hot chocolates, please." He smiled at the house elf and stood.

"Right away, sir!" She squeaked. She snapped her fingers and two steaming mugs of hot chocolate appeared. Sirius plucked them out of the air.

"Thanks, Pinkie. These look great." As if a spell had been broken, the other house elves, who had been standing frozen staring at the exchange, snapped back into action and continued with their work. Pinkie beamed and went back to organizing the pantry.

We sat down at the long wooden table and blew on our drinks. The whipped cream was piled high in our glasses, and I swiped my finger through mine for a taste. "Yum."

Sirius laughed. "You said it."

We sipped our cocoa in silence, for once enjoying each other's company. After several minutes, I glanced up and found him looking at me strangely. "What? Do I have whipped cream on my face?" I brushed self-consciously at my lips.

"Oh, um, yeah." He reached up and brushed his thumb across my cheek, just barely grazing the corner of my lips. He pulled back and stuck his thumb into his mouth, presumably to clear it of any whipped cream. His eyes dropped to my lips.

My breath quickened. The moment seemed to stretch on forever, tense and charged with an unfamiliar emotion. "Thanks," I breathed.

He nodded and broke our gaze. His cheeks reddened as he rubbed the back of his neck and tapped his fingers on his glass. "So who came up with that brilliantly-timed Porskoff Ploy that won you the match? Who'd you bribe to teach you that?" He joked.

The minute he said it, I could tell he regretted it, but that didn't stop the wave of anger from rushing from my head to my shaking hands. My jaw dropped and my face grew hot. Any goodwill I had felt towards him tonight disappeared faster than Leprechaun gold from a bookie.

He stammered, trying to correct his mistake, "That's not what I meant. I meant—"

"—that Hufflepuffs are entirely too stupid to come up such a smart idea," I coldly finished for him.

His eyes widened and he waved his hands in front of him, "No! That's not it at all. I just meant that well, Gryffindors are known for their bravery, Slytherins for their cunning, Ravenclaws for their intelligence, and Hufflepuffs—"

"—are dull-witted, loyal saps, completely incapable of thinking for themselves. Yes, you've made that perfectly clear," I sneered.

Sirius slammed his fist down on the table, startling the house elves. "Damn it, that's not what I meant, and you know it! I was only joking, but obviously Hufflepuffs don't have a sense of humor either. Maybe the sorting hat should add that to his song," he said snidely.

I jumped to my feet, knocking the half-empty cocoa to the floor. Two house elves rushed over the clean up the mess. Ignoring them, I snarled, "I'm sorry—was that supposed to be _witty_? I couldn't tell. Maybe we should get a Ravenclaw in here to decide, considering I must be too _dim_ to understand even the _simplest_ of retorts!"

Wanting to have the last word, I stormed to the door, intending on leaving and never speaking to Sirius Black again. Before I reach it, I felt a hand on my arm. I paused, wondering if he was going to apologize for his hurtful blunder or continue the argument. I felt my heart lift a little at the thought of him apologizing.

"You won't tell anyone about the mirror, will you?" he asked gruffly.

My heart sank and once again my anger returned in full force. I spun around. "No. We Hufflepuffs are loyal, remember," I spit out before spinning around and storming out of the kitchen.

I spent the rest of the walk back to the common room picturing the stupid look on his arrogant face. Perhaps I'd paint a picture of it.

A/N: Ten points to whomever recognizes the subtle reference at the end!


	3. Of Loyalties

A/N: Thanks for the story alerts and favs! I really enjoyed the reviews the last chapter garnered, but would absolutely love some more! *wink wink* I have a pretty clear idea of where this is going, but if you have some fun suggestions, please don't hesitate to share. Enjoy!

Chapter 3 – Of Loyalties

Avoiding Sirius Black turned out to be more difficult than I had expected. Suddenly, the dark-haired boy turned up everywhere – the library, the quidditch pitch, the owlery, even the girls' loo. Granted, that last one was an exclamation of his endowments scrawled in lipstick on one of the stall doors, but still, it seemed pretending he didn't exist wasn't going to work.

It was with this frustrating conclusion that I sank into my seat at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall and reached for the orange juice. Spotting a Daily Prophet a few seats down, I snatched it from a first year's hand, ignoring her indignant protest, and began reading. I was halfway through an article on the latest muggle attack in Surrey when someone slid into the seat across from me. I looked up.

"Good morning," the curly-haired brunette grumbled before pouring a glass of milk and loading scrambled eggs and two pieces of toast onto his plate.

"What's so good about it," I scowled. "We have double charms today with the Gryffindors."

"True, but at least it ought to be amusing, what with Potter and Black there to provide entertainment."

I scowled even deeper at my best mate. "Max, you know very well that any class with those two will result in unwarranted detentions for innocent bystanders." At his raised eyebrow I continued, "Remember that time in third year when the entire Slytherin house earned detentions for a prank those wankers pulled?"

I snorted and shook my head. "How they convinced Slughorn that the Slytherins were responsible for charming their own common room red and gold, I'll never know."

"Oh yeah," Max's eyes lit up with admiration. "That was pretty brilliant. I've always wanted to ask them how they did it."

I looked at my watch before grabbing my bag and climbing to my feet. "Traitor. You're not supposed to side with them. You're supposed to side with me, your best mate, remember?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not siding with anyone, especially not with two blokes who'd just as soon grow me a tail as be my friend. No sense of loyalty, that lot." He watched as Potter and Black stood up from their seats at the Gryffindor table and signaled for Lupin and Pettigrew to follow them into the corridor.

"Finally seeing the light, are you?" I joked as we, too, headed for class.

Max punched my shoulder and laughed. "You're just afraid that I might join ranks with the enemy."

I frowned and looked away. He'd hit just a little too close to home. I flashed back to the night in the kitchens and felt fresh anger rise to the surface. I had been so proud to be sorted into Hufflepuff my first year. Practically every generation of my family had been sorted there, and never once did I imagine that others might look down on it.

But it became clear shortly into my first year that Hufflepuff was thought to house the students who were too stupid to be Ravenclaws, too friendly to be Slytherins, and too meek to be Gryffindors. I burned with shame the first time I overheard a fourth year Ravenclaw bemoaning his Hufflepuff potions partner to a friend.

"_Can you believe Slughorn partnered me with Higgins? That idiot wouldn't know bezoar from bicorn if it put on pink knickers and danced a waltz across his desk," the stocky Ravenclaw moaned. _

_His friend patted him on the back sympathetically. "Try taking it as a compliment. Slughorn obviously knows Higgins is complete rubbish at potions. Maybe he's partnering you two to help the bloke out." _

"_If that's the case, it's completely unfair. I'm bloody tired of saving lost causes. Maybe I'll talk to Slughorn about it tomorrow during lunch." _

_His friend snickered. "Not much hope in that, mate. Slughorn always takes it easy on Hufflepuffs. Reckon he realizes that some things are just too complex for them to comprehend. They're about as bright as kneazlse, yeah?" _

"_That might be giving them a bit too much credit." Both boys laughed and rounded the corner, disappearing into the Great Hall. I followed slowly, my cheeks hot and my eyes teary. Was that how they saw all Hufflepuffs? _

I scowled at the memory. I was no longer ashamed to be a Hufflepuff, but their derision still stung five years later. I felt a tug on my robes and noticed that Max had fallen silent. He gripped my wrist and pulled me to a stop in front of Flitwick's door.

"You know I'd never do that, right," he asked quietly, searching my eyes for understanding. "I know what that git said to you last week, and he was wrong. Just because we don't flaunt our cleverness or bravery like they do, doesn't mean we're lacking in them."

"I know." I waved my hand dismissively. "I'm fine." At his doubtful look, I swatted his hand from my wrist. "Honestly. He's an idiot and I'm far too intelligent to believe a word that he says." I strode into the classroom, Max hovering at my elbow like an overbearing shadow.

"Don't forget too beautiful to even acknowledge his existence," Max added with a teasing grin. He glanced across the room where Black and Lupin were arguing over who had to be stuck with Pettigrew. Potter was patting the round boy on his back, probably assuring him that neither boy meant to offend.

I nodded imperiously. "Indubitably."

As if Black had somehow heard us, he snapped his head in our direction and narrowed his gaze at Max. When Max smiled winningly, if condescendingly, at him, he arched is brow and turned away.

"Suppose he heard us?" Max asked as he opened his charms book and pulled out a quill and some parchment.

"Doubtful, unless he has the hearing of a dog." I also opened my book and dug through my bag for parchment and quill. I heard a bark of laughter from the direction of the marauders. No doubt the boys were planning something. I just hoped they would leave the rest of us out of it.

Flitwick rushed into the room just as I found my quill in the bottom of my bag. "Good morning, class. Pass last week's homework forward, then turn to page 233 in your books. Today we will be covering Obedience Charms. I will need a volunteer to demonstrate the first charm. Any takers?"

When no one raised a hand, Flitwick chuckled. "Come now, it won't hurt." He waited. "Still no one? Alright, let's see," he gazed around the room. "Ah, Miss Jones, would you kindly join me at the front of the class?"

It clearly wasn't a question. I inwardly groaned as I rose from my seat and walked to the front of the room. I pulled my wand out of my back pocket.

Brandishing his own wand, Flitwick cleared his throat, "For the _Factum Obsequium_ charm, the caster will employ the following wand movement." He flicked his wrist upwards before looping a figure eight at the top and ending with a flourish. "It is imperative that you speak the incantation clearly when you begin the upwards wand movement, otherwise the spell will rebound upon the caster with disastrous results. Once you have cast the spell, you may implore your opponent to do whatever you wish."

Shelby Trimble's hand shot into the air. She didn't wait to be called on. "But professor, that sounds an awful lot like the Imperious Curse, and that's forbidden."

Flitwick nodded. "Excellent observation, Miss Trimble. Obedience Charms are similar to the Imperious Curse in that they both deal with mind control. However, they have one important difference. Can anyone tell me what that might be?" He asked.

Surprisingly, it was Black who raised his hand. "The Imperious Curse doesn't give you a choice in the matter. If the caster told you to jump off a cliff, you'd do it without hesitation, unless you were trained to throw it off." He paused at Flitwick's encouraging smile. "An Obedience Charm differs in that the caster can only suggest that its receiver do something. In fact, most Obedience Charms have a counterspell."

"Wonderful answer, Mr. Black. Ten points to Gryffindor for such a concise answer!" Flitwick clapped his hands. "Obedience Charms most certainly have counterspells. In fact, their counterspells can be used mid-charm, meaning a person under an Obedience Charm can cast a counterspell if they are able to recognize that they are, indeed, under a spell."

Climbing onto a stack of books, he wrote the counterspell on the board. "_Parco Obsequium_ has a simple wand movement, not unlike the Accio spell you learned in fourth year." He raised his wand and traced a backwards P followed by a wonky S in the air. "Got it?" He ignored the hand in the back. "Good."

He turned, wand raised, to address me, "Now, you'll feel a slight tingling in your fingers, but it's nothing to worry about. Then, you will feel a sensation of peace that will most likely encourage you to forget your troubles and perhaps even your surroundings. However, the important thing to remember about Obedience Charms is that there is always a way to break them. Simply acknowledge the spell and perform the counterspell."

I nodded nervously. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Max giving me the thumbs up. A movement behind Flitwick caught my eye. Black had leaned forward in his seat to stare interestedly at the demonstration. I darted my gaze back to Flitwick in time to see him cast the spell.

The ends of my fingers tingled before I felt a sudden calm wash over me. I sighed happily and let the wave of stillness lull me into complacency. I felt warm and safe. I blinked slowly at Flitwick before turning to the class. "I don't see what the big deal is," I sighed. "I feel rather pleasant, actually."

Max grinned at me from across the room. "You look all flushed and happy. Like you've had a good snog."

"Oi, how do you know what she looks like after a snog?" Potter asked, sniggering. Black elbowed him in the stomach.

I was so relaxed that I couldn't even muster a glare in his direction. I turned back to Flitwick and smiled, slightly confused. "What were we doing again?"

A couple Gryffindors snickered. Flitwick smiled gently. "Miss Jones, why don't you take a seat?"

I started for my chair before he interrupted, "No, not there. How about my desk?"

"What a fantastic idea, professor. I've always wanted to sit in your chair." I skirted his desk and sank gracefully into his seat. "Lovely," I sighed once again.

"Come on, professor, when are we ever going to want someone to sit down? Show us something useful!" a voice shouted from the back.

"Useful, indeed," Flitwick pursed his lips before addressing me once again, "Tell me, Miss Jones, who is your closest friend at Hogwarts?"

I spoke without thinking. "Easy. Max Caulfield."

"Your biggest rival?"

"Terry Bristol." At the mention of the headboy's name, a few people laughed.

"Now, would you please stand by a classmate you consider an enemy?"

I rose and walked steadily towards the marauders, coming to a stop next to Black's desk. He looked at me with a mixture of surprise and disdain. I crossed my arms, the calmness pervading my mind lifting slightly.

"Now give him a hug, Miss Jones. It is time to let bygones be bygones."

I stepped closer to Black's chair. He rose quickly and backed away. "Oi, this isn't fair!" I wrapped my arms around his middle and rested my head against his shoulder. "She may be under a spell, but I'm not!" And just like that, the calmness dissolved and I remembered that I was bespelled. I heard Flitwick begin the charm again, but I shoved Black aside and cast the counterspell.

Flitwick dropped his arm as the full impact of the counterspell hit him in the chest. "Well done for your first time, Miss Jones! Aside from Mr. Black's slip of the tongue, I have no doubt that you would have thrown off the charm in no time."

I glared at Black, daring him to contradict Flitwick. He only smirked and sat back in his chair. I joined Max at our table, barely listening to Flitwick give out instructions for the practical part of the lesson. Max gave me a sympathetic look before pulling out his wand and motioning to the front of the room. "Suppose you try it on me this time. You've probably had enough of this charm for a while."

I laughed but raised my arm and cast the charm. Pretty soon the room was a flurry of activity. Charlotte Lansdowne was singing the latest Sirens hit at the top of her lungs, hitting a right note every three or four verses. Patrick McDermid was chatting up a lamp in the corner while his partner stood nearby clutching his side in laughter. Even Remus Lupin had succumbed to the charm. He was currently on all fours howling at an invisible moon.

Before long, class was over and everyone was back to their normal states. Flitwick cleared his throat and tapped his wand on his desk. "Listen up, listen up. Your assignment for this week is to write a foot-long essay on the positive and negative uses of the _Factum Obsequium _charm. This will be due next week. I advise you to use the library for further information on Obedience Charms. Your textbook will not be sufficient enough research for your essay."

The class groaned. I traded unhappy looks with Max, knowing that this would affect our quidditch practice schedule. Finally, class was dismissed and we left the classroom, intending to return to the common room to relax until our next class. We had only reached the first staircase when I heard a shout behind me.

We spun around and saw a group of Slytherins pointing their wands at a much smaller group of Gryffindors. In the middle of the two crowds were two students rolling around on the floor. I charged towards them, completely ignoring the potential danger I would be in if hexes started flying. I pulled the handsome Slytherin off the boy he was pummeling. That's when I got a good look at the other boy's face.

"Never would have pegged you as a coward, McNair. Too scared to face me in a fair fight? Needed to jelly-legs me first, huh?" Sirius Black sneered, wiping blood from the corner of his lip.

The Slytherin made to lunge at Black again, but I pulled out my wand and held it to his throat. "Don't even think about it. Just turn around and head back to your common room."

He lifted an eyebrow and sniffed, "Or what?"

"Or I'll make sure Slughorn knows how you've been getting O's on your potions essays,"

"You wouldn't," he hissed.

"Want to take that chance?"

He glared at me for a long moment. I held my breath, wondering if he would call my bluff. Don't get me wrong, McNair cheated just as often as he breathed, but even I wasn't foolish enough to turn him in for it. Retribution would be painful—and probably permanent.

With a growl, he spun around and signaled for his cronies to follow him. Moments later, the corridor cleared, leaving just Max, the marauders, and me. I stuck my wand back into my pocket and nodded at Black, "You okay?" I asked gruffly.

He didn't answer, just turned and stalked off. Lupin shrugged, "Don't mind him. His ego's just a little bruised. He'll get over it."

"That was brilliant, Jones," Potter chimed in. "Barmy, but brilliant."

Max threw an arm around my shoulders and hugged me to his side, "Yeah, that's Luce. Barmy, yet brilliant. Now you know why I keep her around. She's an excellent bodyguard."

Pettigrew and Potter chuckled at my glare. Lupin smiled softly before thanking me once more and dragging his friends down the corridor and after Black.

Max grabbed my hand and led me towards our own common room. "You sure are something, Jones." I sent him a quizzical look. "Sticking up for Black, even after what he said to you the other night." He shrugged. "You're a better person than I would be in the same situation."

I looked down at our entwined hands, wishing not for the first time that I felt something other than friendship for Max. He was exactly what I should want, always saying things like that, but try as I might, I couldn't muster up any emotion warmer than friendship for my best mate.

"Don't sell yourself short. When push comes to shove, you'd do the same. I think that's why we were sorted into Hufflepuff. We do what's right, even if it's not easy." I squeezed his hand before letting go and entering the common room. Max followed.

"Maybe you're right." He sighed. "But it'd still be nice to be cunning or brave every once in a while. But then, I suppose we'd be in Slytherin or Gryffindor, yeah?"

I reached up and ruffled his hair. "As if we'd sink so low."

He smiled warmly and sank into a chair by the fire, pulling out his charms book to get a start on his essay. I followed suit. Minutes later, as I watched him nibble on the tip of his quill in thought, I wondered if I really believed what I had said. If given the opportunity, would I choose Slytherin or Gryffindor over Hufflepuff? Unbidden, an image of Sirius' sneer flashed in my mind.

Would that have made any difference?

**A/N: Don't forget to review!**


	4. Of Brothers

A/N: Again, thanks for the reviews and favs! It took me a while to get this chapter just right because I was having a difficult time finding just the right tone for the back-and-forth between Sirius and Regulus. Let me know what you think!

Chapter 4 – Of Brothers

By Saturday afternoon, I had all but forgotten about the scuffle in the corridor. I had spent the last two days hunched over my Charms essay in a secluded corner of the library, furiously scribbling down information from the stack of dusty tomes at my elbow. Max had attempted to lure me to the Quidditch pitch after breakfast each morning, but I had grudgingly refused. I had put off the essay long enough, and I knew that if I waited any longer, the books I needed from the library for research would be slim pickings at best. So with a forlorn glance at Max's retreating form, I gathered my things and headed to the library.

The library on a Saturday afternoon was completely different than it was on a weekday night, the time when most students occupied its study tables. During the week, the low murmur of conversation and the occasional giggle swept through the stacks only to be shushed by the strident footsteps of Madame Pince. The more studious students would eventually pack their bags with a glare and storm huffily off to their dorms, presumably to finish their studying in silence. Today, however, the library was quiet and empty. Madame Pince was perched at her desk pouring over the checkout ledger. Upon hearing my footsteps, she looked up and nodded at me in greeting. I smiled back and headed into the stacks.

I was three or four stacks in when I heard muffled voices towards the back of the Charms and Curses section. I slowed my steps, hoping to grab the book I was looking for without disrupting the increasingly angry conversation. The muffled voices became much clearer when I turned the corner and spotted Regulus Black through a nearby bookshelf. His arms were folded across his chest and a fierce scowl was slashed across his otherwise handsome features. He appeared to be on the receiving end of a blistering lecture from a figure obstructed by a particularly large volume on the _Engorgio_ charm and its many uses. But I didn't need to see the figure to know who it was. The arrogant lilt in his voice was as easy to identify as his good looks.

"—can't believe you'd even entertain the idea. I thought you were past all that blood purity bullshit."

Regulus continued to glare, "Just because you're intent on getting yourself blasted from the family tree doesn't mean I am. A Black does not besmirch his own house," he paused and added with a sneer, "especially for mudbloods and blood traitors."

Quick as a snitch, Sirius shoved his brother up against the opposite shelf, his arm pressing tightly against his brother's throat. He growled quietly, "Never utter those words in my presence again, little brother. I have cursed Slytherins for less."

He shoved Regulus against the wall once more before releasing him. He turned to leave, but stopped before he reached the corner of the shelf. His back still to his brother, Sirius snarled, "One day you're going to regret your foolish words and misguided beliefs, but by then it will be too late. When that day arrives, do not come to me for help, for I will not offer any." With that, he rounded the corner and hurried past me, not noticing my open stare. Seconds later, Regulus followed with an identical scowl on his face.

Before now, I had never seen Sirius and Regulus in the same vicinity, and the similarities between the two brothers were startling. Both boys had dark hair, pale skin, and slender, graceful bodies. They even shared the same aristocratic nose and cheekbones. Yet Sirius' slate eyes made him unreadable most of the time, while Regulus' blue eyes were expressive, revealing every thought and emotion like a scrying glass. Standing just short of six feet, Sirius was several inches taller than his younger brother, yet it was Regulus who always seemed to be looking down his nose at others.

The biggest difference between them, however, was not physical. On the outside, the brothers may be similar, but on the inside, they were vastly different people. Whereas Sirius' demeanor was mischievous and bright, Regulus' was dark and shadowed. In fact, in the four years Regulus had been at Hogwarts, I don't think I had ever seen him smile. In contrast, it was hard to recall a time when Sirius wasn't laughing at a joke or flirting with a pretty girl. But this image of Sirius didn't correspond with the one I had just seen disown his brother. I wondered when Sirius had become so, for lack of a better word, serious.

My musings were interrupted by the sound of returning footsteps. I grabbed a book off the shelf, attempting to look absorbed in its pages. The footsteps stopped at the aisle opening. I could see a figure standing at the end of the row, staring in my direction. Bullocks. I had the worst luck.

"How long have you been standing there?" Sirius asked gruffly as he covered the distance between us in a few long strides.

I continued flipping through the pages of my book, the words blurring uselessly in front of my eyes. "Not long. Just doing a little light reading," I lied. I waved the book in front of me, realizing too late that I had grabbed the blasted _Engorgio _book from off the shelf.

He arched an eyebrow as he read the spine. "_A Real Swell Spell: The Engorgio Charm and Its Many Uses."_ I reddened as he continued with a smirk. "Light reading, you say? What unlucky bastard is going to be on the receiving end of that?"

I didn't fully understand the implications of his comment, but I realized from his tone that it was probably insulting. I glared, embarrassed, at a spot above his shoulder, not quite able to meet his eyes. "I would never—" I sputtered, "—never attack another student!"

His eyes slanted thoughtfully as he searched my face. "Do you even know what I'm talking about, Jones?"

"Yes—well—no, not really, but that's besides the point!" I snapped the book shut immediately and shoved it back on the shelf. I brushed past him as I headed down another aisle, hoping he'd get the hint and leave me to my studies.

He followed me. I could feel his eyes on the back of my head as I stopped at another shelf and began pulling books that would help me with my essay. "I can't tell if you're being purposely obtuse or if you really are that naïve," he mused as he leaned casually against the bookcase next to my outstretched hand. I yanked another book from the shelf.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about sex. You know, what happens when a man and a woman—" He made some vulgar gestures with his hands.

"I know what sex is," I interrupted sharply. "I don't need a visual."

He smirked. "Alright, so which is it? Are you really so naïve that you can't fathom a more resourceful use for the _Engorgio_ charm or are you just playing dumb?"

I flushed at his expectant gaze and said the first thing on my mind, "Don't you have something better to do, like patch things up with your brother?" I knew immediately that was the wrong thing to say. I watched as his eyes turned cold and the smirk fell off his face.

"You don't know anything about me or my brother, so just stay out of it."

Feeling properly chastised I lowered my voice, "I know. I'm sorry. It's not my place to interfere."

He sagged against the shelf, staring hard at the encyclopedias across from him. His black hair had fallen forward across his forehead, hiding the cuts from a few days before, giving him the appearance of a brooding artist focusing on his next masterpiece. He was quiet for so long that I thought he might have forgotten I was still standing there. Just as I was prepared to leave him to his thoughts, he broke the silence.

"He's thinking of joining You-Know-Who."

I gasped. "Your brother?"

"Yeah. Mum will be happy. She was furious when I was sorted into Gryffindor, and even more livid when I came home after first year and told her my best friend was James Potter. Suppose now she'll think she's replaced the heir with the spare."

"Has he already taken the Mark?" I asked.

He shook his head and smiled bitterly. "He's waiting until this summer, so Mum can attend the ceremony."

"Then it's not too late. You can change his mind," I urged. I didn't know why I was trying so hard to fix things between them, but for some reason, this felt important.

"Do you think I haven't tried?" He argued hotly. "He won't listen to me! Every day he spends in Slytherin poisons his mind against me. I used to be able to get through to him, but in the last year, he's become more hostile and distant." He shoved his hands into his pockets and slumped heavily against the shelf. "I barely recognize him anymore."

I shifted the books into my left hand and laid my right on his shoulder. "He's still there underneath it all. The brother you used to know is just confused and probably scared. As much as I hate to admit it, we're not all as brave as you are, Sirius. It probably isn't easy for him to go against your mother and his housemates."

When he didn't answer, I continued tentatively. "It's only September, Sirius. Summer isn't for nine more months. Use this time to show your brother that courage isn't just for Gryffindors."

He looked up, sensing the double meaning of my words. "You're right. It's not. Anyone who believes that is an idiot." He gazed meaningfully at me. That was as close to an apology as I would get from him, but I didn't care. I knew what he meant, and that was good enough for me. It wasn't every day that Sirius Black ate crow.

I reached up and hesitantly traced a cut on his forehead. "You look like shite."

He grinned and punched my shoulder. "Shut up. Besides, the prat deserved it."

"Deserving or not, I'm surprised you risked your face for a scuffle with McNair."

He shrugged, like he didn't know just how handsome he really was. And maybe he didn't. He'd never really struck me as vain, but it was hard to imagine someone with his striking looks without a little bit of vanity. "McNair was hexing a first year. What was I supposed to do?" He grabbed the books out of my hand and walked me to the front of the library.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye as Madame Pince stamped my books. He had pulled his wand out of his pocket and was twirling it in his fingers, a habit I was beginning to notice.

"Looks like you cleaned out the charms section. Mind if I borrow a few for my essay?" He asked. "I'll bring them right back when I'm done."

I contemplated loaning him a few of my books as we headed for the door. With my luck, he'd probably lose them and I'd be responsible for the fines. "How about we meet here again tomorrow and share the books? That way we can both use them."

He looked relieved. "Excellent. Thanks, Jones. I owe you one."

"Just be here tomorrow at ten o'clock."

He nodded, grinning. "Right. See you tomorrow, then."

"Don't be late!" I called over my shoulder as I headed to the Hufflepuff Common Room.

"Jones!" He shouted when I was just about to turn the corridor. I looked back and saw him smiling widely at me. "If you ever want to try out that _Engorgio _charm, I'm your man."

With a huff, I spun around and turned the corner. I was half way to the common room when the full implication of his comment hit me. I flushed. Perhaps I wasn't so naïve after all.

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	5. Of Understandings

A/N: Don't ask me how I finished another chapter so soon. I have no idea where I managed to find the time either. I do, however, want to take the time to personally respond to all of my reviews, so look forward to those in the next day or so. A large thank you to everyone who has marked this story as a favorite! It's nice to know that I'm not the only one reading my story. Tell me what you think of this latest chapter. And don't worry…more Lucy/Sirius interaction will follow in the next chapter.

**Don't forget to review!**

Chapter 5 – Of Understandings

The tentative truce we made that afternoon in the library continued for the next three weeks. A casual observer wouldn't have even noticed a difference. We didn't spend any more time together than we normally would have, which was very little to begin with. Nor did we trade amorous glances over bubbling cauldrons in Potions or pass notes to each other in the library. In fact, life at Hogwarts was the same as it had ever been – with one small exception. By some unspoken agreement, every Sunday morning at sunrise, we would arrive at the empty Great Hall for breakfast, exchanging small smiles of hello before piling our plates with toast and marmalade and fat sausages. Afterwards, we would slip quietly out to the Quidditch pitch and spend the morning flying lazily between the rings, uttering not a single word, just enjoying the sun on our faces and the wind in our hair.

How such a routine began was entirely coincidental. The morning after our afternoon in the library, I woke up earlier than usual, and unable to fall back a sleep, I wandered down to the Great Hall in search of breakfast. At the time, I had no idea if the house elves even served breakfast so early, but I made the trek through the castle anyway. Upon entering the Hall, I discovered only one other occupant. Sitting at the Gryffindor table spreading a thick layer of marmalade on a piece of toast was Sirius Black. His hair was unkempt, the pieces in the front falling haphazardly across his forehead, and his features were still relaxed with sleep. Even at six in the morning, the boy still managed to look striking. I, on the other hand, was painfully aware of my messy ponytail and the pillow crease marring my cheek.

He looked up at the sound of my footsteps and smiled. I grinned back and made my way to the Hufflepuff table, wondering if I would look silly sitting at the long table by myself. But I was too unsure of where we stood to sit at his table, so I settled for sitting at the end closest to the door. We passed the time in silence, munching on our toast and thumbing through the Daily Prophet. Tired of sitting and stuffed to the limits of my trousers, I stood and made my way to the pitch for a little flying. I had only been out there for a short while before I spotted a figure making his way onto the pitch. The graceful ascent of the flier was undeniable. Only a handful of students at Hogwarts had the same natural grace on a broom, and Sirius Black was one of them.

Later that morning, when we met in the library to work on our Charms essays, neither of us mentioned our chance meeting. Not speaking of it made it feel like a secret that only the two of us shared. For the first time since the Sorting Hat placed me in Hufflepuff, I forgot about house loyalties and basked in the fledgling friendship we seemed to be building.

The next three Sunday mornings were spent in much the same way until news of the next Hogsmeade visit was announced. Students with signed permission slips were permitted to enter Hogsmeade the following Sunday. Thoughts of another lazy Sunday morning were quickly forgotten in the excitement of arranging last minute dates. Opportunities to show off paramours were scarce at Hogwarts. It was unusual for dances to be scheduled, so courting occurred almost entirely during Hogsmeade visits. Fortunately, I didn't have to waste my time finding a date. Max and I had a long standing agreement to accompany each other to Hogsmeade, a tradition that began in third year and has continued ever since. This year, however, our number grew by two. Lewis and Martin would be tagging along for their first trip to the magical village.

Before long, Sunday morning arrived and our small party was huddled at the end of the breakfast table planning the day.

"Let's visit Honeydukes first," Lewis said bossily, "before they run out of the good stuff."

Max rolled his eyes. "It's all good stuff. Besides, if you buy all your sweets at the beginning of the trip, you'll have to carry it around all day."

Lewis slicked his blond hair back with a pudgy hand. "But what if we get hungry before we're ready to return to the castle? I have to eat every two hours or I get dizzy."

"More like cranky," Martin whispered in my direction. I stifled a snicker and decided to interrupt before the name-calling began.

"How about we head to Zonko's first? Then we can swing by Honeydukes before stopping in at Scrivenshaft's. Max, you've been saying you need a new quill, and I could use some more parchment."

Martin and Max looked mollified, but Lewis crossed his arms. "What about the Three Broomsticks? I've been hearing about butterbeer for _ages_ and I won't leave Hogsmeade without trying some."

"We can do that last. That way we can use the loo before heading back to the castle." Martin suggested. He leaned forward as if sharing a secret and traded mischievous looks with us, "He's got a bladder the size of a sickle."

Lewis flushed and pinched his smaller friend's side, "Do not! It's just my mum says it's not good to hold it in."

Max snorted and met my gaze across the table. "Where'd you find this Nancy Boy?"

Ignoring Lewis' indignant 'hey!', I finished the last of my sausage and stood up. "Alright. Enough dilly dallying. We have loads to do today."

Martin rose gracefully from his seat, self-consciously tugging at the scarf tied round his neck. "What do we do with our permission slips?"

Max slung an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders and guided him through the Great Hall and to the front doors. "McGonagall will take them before we leave. Have you yours?"

Martin patted his coat pocket. "Right here."

"Good. How 'bout you, Lewis?" Upon hearing no reply, Max and I turned only to discover that he had fallen behind and was hastily cramming biscuits into his coat pockets. Shoving the last biscuit into his pocket, he hurried after us.

"Better to be safe than sorry, my da always says," he huffed. Martin grabbed his arm and whispered something in his ear, but before I could ask what, McGonagall strode into the hall and clapped her hands for attention.

"I hope you all had a satisfying breakfast and are sufficiently prepared for your journey to Hogsmeade. I shall expect all of you, even those of you who have previously visited Hogsmeade, to be on your best behavior. You are representing Hogwarts, and as ambassadors, you should exhibit exemplary decorum while visiting." She leveled a sharp look at the Slytherins huddled nearby. "Now, I need all third year students to line up on this side of the hall to hand over your permission slips. The rest of you may begin the walk to the village."

Max and I waited while Lewis and Martin stood in line to turn in their slips. By the time they reached the front of the line, the hall was nearly empty.

"Thank you, Mr. Fitzhugh. Mr. Turner. Have a pleasant visit." With that, McGonagall swept down the hall and turned the corner.

"Ready, chaps?" Max asked, clapping his hands together. "Hogsmeade awaits."

Our small foursome made its way down the path headed to the village. The brisk, October wind nipped at our exposed fingers and cheeks, reddening them in the way only a happy Autumn day can. We were halfway around the lake when realized I had forgotten my inkpot in the dormitory.

"Oh bugger, I've forgotten my inkpot. I'll have to turn back."

Max stopped. "Go on, run up to the castle and we'll wait for you here."

I shook my head. "Don't waste your time at Hogsmeade waiting on me. I'll be right along. I'll just pop back to the castle, get my pot, and meet you at Zonko's." I started at a run back to the castle, not giving anyone the chance to argue.

I rushed up the steps to the front doors and pushed them open before jogging past the Great Hall and up the stairs to the second floor corridor. From there I took the shortcut to the Hufflepuff Common Room and slipped past the statue of Helga Hufflepuff into the common room. Minutes later, I emerged triumphant into the corridor. As I hurried down one corridor near the entrance, I stopped suddenly when I spotted the slender figure of Regulus Black making his way to what I assumed to be the Slytherin Common Room.

Without thinking, I called out, "Regulus! Wait up!"

He froze and spun around with his wand drawn, as if ready for an attack. I held up my hands in surrender. "Whoa, take it easy, mate."

He frowned but pocketed his wand. "What do you want, Jones?"

I bit my lip, suddenly not sure what to say. I settled with the truth. Or at least part of it. "Why aren't you at Hogsmeade like everybody else?"

"Why aren't you?" he shot back sharply.

"I forgot something in my dormitory." Disappointment flashed in his guileless eyes. Suddenly I understood why he wasn't enjoying the morning at the village. "Aren't any of your friends going?"

He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away. When it became apparent that he wasn't going to answer my question, I forged on. "Listen, I know this is going to sound silly, but with the recent attacks in the newspaper, I'm a little nervous to walk to the village alone. Would you mind walking with me? I'll buy you a sweet at Honeyduke's." I inwardly grimaced at the helplessness of my words.

His lips twitched in what might have been a small smile. "Pathetic, Jones. But I suppose I'll have to," he said, playing along with my painfully obvious ruse.

We continued down the hallway to the entrance of the castle. I waited for him by the doors while he ran to his dormitory to swipe his jacket and gloves. Soon enough, we were on our way to Hogsmeade, making small, trivial conversation to pass the time. As we rounded the corner and entered the village, we stopped and watched a large group of Ravenclaws push past, giggling and shouting happily as they went.

Regulus scowled.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing. Let's go." He headed towards Honeyduke's. I grabbed his arm.

"Mind if we stop at Zonko's first?" I asked, dragging him across the street to the storefront before he could answer. "Excellent."

I pushed through the door ahead of him and looked around. The bell overhead tinkled before the door swung shut. The shop was crowded with Hogwarts students. A pair of Gryffindor boys were huddled together over a display of dung bombs, covertly sneaking glances at a petite brown haired girl wearing glasses. I had a good idea where that was going.

I grabbed Regulus' sleeve again and dragged him to the back of the store where I could just make out Max's curly hair. He was talking earnestly with Reid Harper, another sixth year Hufflepuff. Martin and Lewis were standing at the counter paying for their purchases.

I drew up next to Max and elbowed him sharply in the side. "Hello, boys. Fancy meeting you here." I smiled widely. Next to me, Regulus stepped back. I yanked on his sleeve, pulling him into our circle. "Have you been formally introduced to my friend, Regulus, here?"

"You wouldn't happen to be Sirius Black's brother, would you?" Reid asked politely.

Regulus opened his mouth to respond, but I beat him to it. "The very same!"

Reid stuck out his hand. "I'm Reid Harper. Pleasure."

"Likewise," Regulus said quietly, shaking his hand before quickly letting go and shoving his hand back into his pocket.

"This is Max, a fellow Hufflepuff. And those two over there," I jabbed my thumb in the direction of the counter, "are Lewis and Martin. It's their first time to the village."

He nodded in acknowledgement but remained silent. Martin and Lewis pushed their way through the crowd to join us. Lewis hefted his Zonko's bag over his shoulder. "What do you say we head over to Honeyduke's? I'm feeling a bit lightheaded."

Max laughed and grabbed the Zonko's bag from Martin's struggling grasp. "Excellent idea, Lewis. For once, we agree on something." Max was already making his way through the crowd, completely oblivious to the peculiar look Martin was giving him. Max may not have noticed, but I did. I had seen that look on my dorm mate's faces before. It always lead to heartbreak. I hoped I was wrong.

Regulus and I brought up the rear as we exited Zonko's and crossed the street to Honeyduke's. Once inside, we split up in search of our favourite sweets. Today, much like every other day, Honeyduke's smelled divine. Chocolate, caramel, peppermint, and a variety of other rich aromas wafted through the shop, coating each intake of breath like honey. Rows upon rows and bins upon bins of sweets lined the shop's walls and shelves. Breathing deeply, I could almost believe euphoria was possible to achieve in such a shop.

"What are _you_ doing here," a loud voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Same as you, I suspect," I heard Regulus reply angrily.

I hurried down the aisle and turned the corner. James Potter and Sirius Black had cornered Regulus near the Sugar Quills. James was glaring and Sirius was trying hard to look unaffected.

James sneered. "Come alone, did you? Haven't got any friends?"

"Actually, I came with a whole group of friends!" Regulus insisted defiantly. He would have been embarrassed to know that he sounded more desperate than honest.

Sirius looked pained at his brother's admission, obviously believing it to be a lie. "Come on, Prongs. Let's meet Moony and Wormtail at the Three Broomsticks. We're already late," he urged quietly, steadfastly avoiding his brother's eye.

James ignored him. "Oh yeah, where are they then?" He taunted.

Regulus paled. I decided to make my presence known. "There you are, Reggie! We've been looking everywhere for you. We're about ready to head to the Three Broomsticks. You ready?" I smiled brightly at the younger Black.

He looked relieved but cheerfully replied, "Lucy! I was on my way to find you. Just got held up." The smile didn't reach his eyes and his jolly tone sounded forced, but it was better than nothing.

I chanced a look at Sirius. He was staring at me strangely. James was slack-jawed. "Potter. Black." I nodded in greeting.

Sirius blinked and smiled softly. "Jones."

James continued to stare, obviously unsure of how to proceed now that his bluff had been called. Sirius elbowed him. "Right then. We should be going. Remus and Peter will be waiting for us." With one last small smile, he dragged James through the shop and out the door.

I turned to Regulus. "You okay?"

He sighed and immediately began brooding once more. "I don't feel much like butterbeer any more. You go on ahead without me. I'm headed back to the castle."

"Don't be silly. I owe you a butterbeer."

"Some other time." He turned away and headed for the door. "Thanks for –" he paused, "well—you know."

I sighed. "Any time, Reggie."

He glanced over his shoulder and said seriously, "Don't call me Reggie." But before he turned away, I saw the corners of his lips turn up into a reluctant grin.

I laughed openly. "Whatever you say, Reggie."

As the door swung shut and the hustle and bustle of Hogsmeade continued once more, I remembered the smile Sirius had given me when I had come to his brother's aid. It was the same smile Regulus had just unknowingly revealed.

Perhaps the two brothers were more alike than either was willing to admit.

**A/N: Don't forget to review! Favorite line? Character? Constructive criticism? **


	6. Of Complications

**A/N: This has been a long time coming, but better late than never, right? I just bought a house and have been in the process of moving, so this (along with many other things) was put on the backburner. But enough sorry excuses. Here's the next chapter and as promised, there is much more Lucy/Sirius interaction. Let me know what you think!**

Chapter 6 – Of Complications

Almost a week after the Hogsmeade trip, I was sitting in the Hufflepuff common room finishing my star chart when a first year tapped my shoulder and told me someone was waiting for me outside of the common room. I frowned and closed my inkpot, wondering who it could be. When I climbed out of the common room, I looked up and down the long passage, but noted it was empty.

"Hello?" I called hesitantly. "Anybody there?"

A soft rustling began behind me. Without warning, I was enveloped in a gauzy material and tugged roughly into something hard, a body. I let out a shriek and slammed my elbow into the stomach of my attacker. A muffled "humph!" breezed past my left ear and warm puffs of air skittered down my neck. A hand covered my mouth.

"Are you mental," a low, familiar voice wheezed. "It's past curfew and Filch is bound to be by any minute."

"Sirius?" I breathed.

"No, Jack the Ripper," he whispered sarcastically before letting me turn around.

"How do _you_ know who Jack the Ripper is?" I asked irritably. "He's a muggle murderer."

I tugged at the material messing up my hair. It slid like water through my fingers. My eyes widened. "Great Merlin, is this an invisibility cloak?"

Sirius nodded. "You can't tell anyone about it. It's James'. His dad gave it to him last summer."

"Now who's mental? What kind of father gives his delinquent son an invisibility cloak?" I shook my head.

"Nevermind that. I've come because I need your help." Sirius grabbed my hand and squeezed.

I blushed at his nonchalant gesture. What problem could Sirius have that James or Remus or even Peter couldn't help him with?

"What kind of help?"

"It's Regulus. He's gotten into something pretty bad, and I'm afraid he won't listen to me."

"What do you think I can do?" I asked skeptically.

Sirius shrugged. "He likes you. He might listen to you." Seeing my raised eyebrow, he hurried on, "He doesn't have many friends and he'll probably do anything to keep the few he does have."

I sighed. "We're not best mates, Sirius. We hardly know each other."

"Will you at least try?" He didn't beg—Blacks don't know the meaning of the word—but his eyes held just enough desperation that I couldn't say no.

"Fine, but don't expect much. I doubt he writes about me in his diary."

Sirius grinned. "You never know. Blacks have a weakness for sharp-tongued women. Just look at my father. He married a shrew."

I tugged my hand from his and punched him in the shoulder. "Tosser."

He rubbed his shoulder with his right hand. "Shrew," he muttered. I pretended not to hear him.

"Are we going tonight or not?" I asked impatiently.

He slid an arm around my waist and secured the invisibility cloak around our shoulders before heading off down the corridor. It was a tight squeeze, but we managed to awkwardly shuffle our way to the dungeons, passing the usual classrooms and descending deeper into the castle than I had ever been before.

Sirius pulled me to a stop just outside a closed door. A putrid smell escaped from the crack beneath the door and muffled muttering could be heard from behind its thick barrier.

Sirius leaned in and whispered, "McNair told Regulus that to prove his loyalty to You-Know-Who, he's responsible for brewing a Polyjuice potion that will presumably be given to someone who—and this is just a personal opinion—_definitely_ shouldn't have it."

"Why not just make it himself?"

"Who, McNair?"

"No, the Death Eater who needs it."

Sirius pulled the cloak off our shoulders and hid it behind a suit of armor. "You can't buy most of the ingredients to brew it, even on the black market. Hogwarts only has them because Professor Sprout was given permission by the ministry to grow them in her greenhouses for academic use."

"Did you try talking him out of it?"

He slapped his forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

"There's no need to be so shirty. I was just making sure," I grumbled.

"C'mon, we'd better get in there before he blows himself up." He pulled open the door and stepped quietly into the room. I followed tentatively behind him.

The stench of mold and decay in the abandoned Potions classroom assaulted my nose, but it was the figure standing over the bubbling cauldron that bothered me most. Flickering shadows from the sconces on the wall played grotesquely with his features and the stiff, precise movements of his hands belied the pained look in his eyes. He frowned, whether in concentration or anger I couldn't be certain, and glanced hurriedly up. "What do you want?"

Sirius stood motionless, only a few feet from the table where Regulus was pulling wings off of beetles. The silence stretched. I shifted my weight nervously and glanced at Sirius.

"Say something," I muttered.

Sirius licked his lips. "Think about what you're doing, Regulus. You don't know what they're using this for. Innocent people could get hurt."

I watched as Sirius skirted a dusty desk and cautiously approached his younger brother. I remained by the door, unsure of my part in the unfolding drama. Regulus ignored his brother's plea. I had a feeling this was an old argument. He focused his eyes on the potion in front of him and added a beetle wing.

"I know you don't really want to do this. I know that McNair pressured you into making this potion, but—"

"You don't know anything!" Regulus interrupted sharply. "You never have. How could you?" He gripped the ladle tighter and glared at the simmering potion. "You're a Gryffindor, a bloody golden boy. What would you know about pressure?"

Sirius stiffened. "You may think I have it easy, little brother, but don't forget that we both return to the same place every summer." Surprised at his brother's tone and proximity, Regulus stopped glaring at the cauldron and met his brother's steely gaze. Sirius continued without pause. "Our experiences there are quite different though, aren't they?"

The younger boy glared. "You had a choice, Sirius. You didn't have to betray our family. I don't have that luxury here. If I don't do what McNair says," Regulus paused darkly and looked down at his potion. "Well, I don't even want to think about it."

Sirius remained silent. It occurred to me that he didn't know what to say. I took this as my cue to interrupt. "What if you messed it up on purpose?" I asked.

Two heads snapped up. Both seemed to forget that I was even in the room. Regulus was the first to speak.

"What do you mean?" He asked cautiously, as if too afraid to get his hopes up.

"Well," I began. "You're only a fourth year. You can't be expected to brew such an advanced potion without getting a few bits wrong, right?"

"Yeah," Sirius piped up, understanding suddenly dawning on him. "Polyjuice isn't taught until NEWT level potions."

"I don't see how that helps," Regulus argued, running his fingers through his hair.

"McNair only said you had to brew it, right?" I asked. At his nod I continued, "He didn't say you had to brew it _correctly_. Just mix up a few ingredients in the last phase of the brewing cycle, give it to McNair, and your duty's done."

"What happens when they find out it doesn't work?" Regulus reasoned, sounding both skeptical and hopeful.

"That's the beauty of it," Sirius interjected. "You can say you tried your best, but you haven't studied transfiguration potions yet. It allows you to save face and technically complete your task."

Regulus pursed his lips thoughtfully and dropped a newt's tail into the cauldron. He seemed to be holding a silent argument with himself. Finally, he looked up and stared determinedly at me, "Fine. I'll do it, but you better hope it works because if it doesn't, I'm better off dead."

Sirius let out a loud breath and slapped his brother on the shoulder. "It'll work. Don't worry."

The younger Black snorted, but said nothing. I took that as our cue to leave. I tugged Sirius's sweater and ushered him into the corridor and shut the door. Silently, he retrieved the invisibility cloak and threw it over our heads once more. We began the long trek back to the Hufflepuff common room.

As we neared the statue of Helga Hufflepuff, Sirius stopped and again grabbed my hand. I could tell he did this more out of unconscious habit than affection, but I enjoyed it all the same. Most would probably think me a hypocrite, but when a good-looking boy holds my hand, it's almost impossible not to feel the little thrill shoot from my tingling fingertips to the top of my head.

He smiled winningly at me. "I knew he'd listen to you. My baby brother has a soft spot for you."

I rolled my eyes and blushed. "Don't be ridiculous. He just knew logic when he heard it."

"Maybe," he shrugged. "Maybe not. Either way, you're pretty brilliant."

My cheeks burned. "Yeah, yeah." I muttered dismissively. "As long as he sticks to the plan, it should work."

"It'll work," he said quietly. He reached his free hand up to brush a strand of hair from my forehead. His fingers curled it behind my ear before resting lightly against my cheek. He breathed softly against my face. "It has to."

I stared questioningly into his penetrating eyes. My breathing hitched as he drew nearer, my pulse pounded loudly in my ears. "It will," I whispered absently.

His eyes darted down to my lips then back. He swallowed. "I should probably thank you."

I bit my lip. I was having a hard time concentrating and couldn't think of anything intelligent to say. "Mhmm," I mumbled faintly.

He was only inches from my mouth. I could feel his warm breath ghost across my lips. I shut my eyes and waited for his touch.

I felt barely a wisp of his lips before a voice jolted us out of our haze. We leapt apart.

"Well, what do we have here?" an oily voice questioned. "Two students out of bed, after curfew, and locked in an amorous embrace?"

Sirius sneered. "Bit of a Peeping Tom, Filch? Have to spy on students to get your jollies?"

Filch's face reddened. "How dare you speak to me that way, Black. Twenty points from Gryffindor."

Sirius shrugged arrogantly, but I winced. Filch was only warming up. "Detention, for both of you, for the rest of the week."

Sirius arched an eyebrow, the expression on his face clearly challenging.

"Separately," Filch finished nastily.

I sighed and put my hand on Sirius' arm. "Yes, sir. We'll return to our common rooms immediately."

Before Filch could protest, I turned to the statue of Helga Hufflepuff and whispered the password. I turned to bid Sirius goodnight. He mouthed, "Breakfast, tomorrow?"

I smiled and nodded before turning and entering the empty common room. My star chart was still unrolled on a nearby table, but I didn't have the mind to finish it. My mind was busy replaying the night's events.

Regulus was in a difficult and very dangerous situation. He would have to tread carefully if he wanted to make it through this war alive and in working order. Truthfully, I was worried about him. He was right when he said he didn't really have a choice. He was stuck in Slytherin for the next three years. And he was definitely under his parents' control for at least that long.

It would be naïve to believe that he could rebel as Sirius had. For one thing, Sirius had Gryffindor to turn to. For another, a second blow to the Black family tree would not be tolerated. There would be no easy escape for the youngest Black. As much as Sirius wanted to help his little brother, it might not be possible.

Sirius would be devastated of course. Despite vowing to disown Regulus, Sirius loved his brother—that much was obvious. He loved his brother so much that he swallowed his pride and asked _me_ for help. And I had an uneasy suspicion that Sirius put too much stock in my alleged influence over his brother.

Was that what was behind that whole exchange outside the common room? Was he just expressing his thanks and relief the only way he knew how? Sirius was pretty affectionate with everyone, especially his close friends.

I shook my head. That train of thought was pointless. I did him a favor. He was grateful. That was that. Yawning, I gathered my star chart, inkpot, and quill and stuffed them into my bag. Climbing the staircase to the girls' dormitories, I resolved to help Regulus any way I could. If that meant spending more time with his charming, mischievous older brother, it would be a sacrifice I would be willing to make.


	7. Of Semantics

Chapter 7 - Of Semantics

It was half past three in the morning when I finished my last detention. I had spent the last week scouring the grounds of Hogwarts for blue-bellied slugs with only a strange cat named Norris for company. Norris wasn't much help and his unblinking, yellow eyes made the hair on the back of my neck prickle. But it was definitely more preferable than Sirius' detention. He was assigned to remove gum from the Quidditch stands without magic. Every time I saw him in the Great Hall for breakfast, he was hunched painfully over his plate, a grimace temporarily replacing the usual grin on his face.

A sharp meow startled me into dropping the cage of slugs I had wedged under my arm. It popped open and the slugs scattered in the grass, each slowly attempting a getaway. Luckily for me, slugs were—well, slugs. I hunched over with a sigh and began carefully placing them back into the cage.

_Snap!_

I froze, still bent over, and listened. It was quiet, not the comforting sound of silence, but rather the calm before a storm. I stood up slowly and slid the cage in the bag slung over my shoulder.

_Snap!_

I spun around and came face to face with—nothing. The sloping grounds near a small hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest were empty except for the slight movement of grass waving gently in the breeze. I frowned and decided to return to the castle before I imagined anything else.

Checking to make sure the cage was secure in my bag, I turned around and slammed into something. I let out a surprised shriek as I tumbled to the ground. A dark figure leaned over me and grabbed my arm.

I shouted. "No! Leave me alone!" The grip tightened on my arm and I panicked.

"HELP!" I screamed. "HE-" Another hand covered my mouth.

"For Merlin's sake, stop screaming! It's me. Sirius." I sucked in a breath, at once relieved and furious.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" I huffed heavily, catching my breath. "I was two seconds from stunning your brains out."

I glared at his raised eyebrow and slight smile. "What?"

He shook his head, still smiling. "Nothing." He grabbed my bag, which had tumbled to the ground in our tussle, and headed back toward the castle. "How about an escort to your common room?"

I ignored his gallant offer. "That was not nothing," I argued. "Tell me!" I caught up to him and struggled to match his long strides.

He shrugged. "It's just adorable how you think you're scary and all." He grinned and threw an arm around my shoulders.

I bristled and slapped his hand from my shoulder. "Watch it, Black. I'm more dangerous than I look."

"Black?" He frowned. "You haven't called me that in a while." He shuttered. "You must be _really_ angry." He shot nervous looks at me before a large smile ruined his act.

I shoved him and couldn't help but laugh. "Shut it."

He threw another arm around my shoulder and squeezed it affectionately as we reached the doors to the castle. He held a door open and gestured grandly, "Ladies first."

"Well, go on, then," I said with a smile of my own.

He shook his head. "Amateur."

I laughed as I stepped inside, "I thought it was funny."

He turned to pull the door shut. "You would," he joked. Then he stilled and peered out into the night.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "I thought I saw something, but…" he trailed off and shut the door. "It was probably nothing."

I poked him in his side. "Do you smell that?"

He grabbed my hand and led the way to the Hufflepuff common room. "What?"

I sniffed the air. "I think it's—fear." I sniffed his shoulder, then his collar. "Yup, definitely fear."

He snorted. "That's the best you can do, Jones?"

I tugged on his hand. "Come on, admit it, that was pretty good." We rounded the corner and approached the Hufflepuff statue.

"Well, it was certainly better than your first attempt," he relented with a soft smile as we came to a stop in front of the entrance to the common room.

I rolled my eyes, but decided to drop it. "Thanks for walking me back."

"Anytime." He ran his freehand through his dark hair and drew in a deep breath. "Listen, Lucy, would you, I mean, do you," he fumbled over his words.

"Spit it out, Sirius," I teased.

He snapped his mouth shut, looking first frustrated and then amused with himself. "Only with you, Jones." He shook his head. "Only with you."

"What?"

"You make me nervous," he admitted sheepishly, letting go of my hand and shoving his into his pants pockets.

"_I _make _you_ nervous?" I asked incredulously. "That's a laugh." At his questioning look, I added, "because _you_ make _me _nervous."

He cocked his head slightly and looked suddenly interested. "I make you nervous?" He moved closer when I nodded.

"Am I making you nervous right now?" he asked as he invaded my personal space and slowly backed me up against the wall.

I laughed and lied through my teeth. "No."

He placed a hand next to my head and leaned even closer, his mouth only inches from mine. "How about now?"

Tired of his game and eager to wipe that grin off of his face, I slid my arms around his neck and pulled. Startled, he pushed my body harder against the wall and pressed his lips firmly to mine. His lips were warm and they cradled mine in a perfect fit. I pulled him closer and breathed deeply through the kiss. He smelled like the wind coming off of the ocean and I absently thought of the lake by the pitch. I stroked the back of his neck, picturing him flying high above the pitch, grinning widely and dodging bludgers.

Sirius groaned and pressed closer, hitching my legs up and around his waist. I sighed into his mouth and he took the advantage and opened his mouth against mine, sliding his tongue into my mouth. It was my turn to groan. He pulled back. "Is that—" he breathed heavily, "I mean, is it okay…"

"Don't stop," I gasped and pulled his head back to mine. He didn't argue.

I don't know how long we remained in that corridor groping each other and kissing until our lips were raw, but when I came up for air for the last time, I noticed that we were not alone. An early rising first year, looking both repulsed and intrigued, was standing at the entrance of the common room. She looked more mortified than I felt.

"Breakfast," she squeaked before darting down the corridor and around the corner.

Sirius laughed and rested his forehead against mine. "Guess she got quite the show."

I grimaced. "Let's just hope she's too embarrassed to tell anyone."

Sirius leaned back and peered into my face. "And what if she does?" he asked.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to set her straight."

He stepped back and crossed his arms defensively. "What's to set straight? She caught us snogging. Big deal."

I stepped forward and put my hands on my hips. "It may not be a big deal to you, but I have a reputation to protect. You may snog girls all the time, but I don't!"

"Well that's a relief," he said sarcastically.

"Shut up," I snapped. "You know what I meant. If this gets out, I'll end up looking like a slag and you'll come out smelling like amortia."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. If that's what you want, I'll make sure she doesn't talk."

"Thank you," I said stiffly. I turned to enter the common room.

"Come on, now," he wheedled. "Don't leave mad."

I let him pull me around to face him. "I'm not mad."

"Yes, you are. I can tell." He squeezed my hand. "Just relax. I'll take care of everything."

I nodded and entered the common room. As I climbed the stairs to my dormitory, I replayed his words in my head. '_She caught us snogging. Big deal.'_ Big deal? I couldn't quite wrap my mind around those words. Of course it was a big deal. I had never snogged anyone in my entire life. But he wouldn't know that, would he? He probably thinks snogging is just another thing to do when you're lonely and have nothing else better to do.

Of course, its all semantics, really. He may think a kiss is just a kiss, but he'll see it my way soon enough. I just have to be patient.

I sniffed my shirt. In the meantime, it probably wouldn't hurt to take a shower.


	8. Of Trouble

Of Broomsticks and Boys

Chapter 8 - Of Trouble

Max blustered red-faced into the common room one morning in November, disturbing my efforts to actually complete my potions assignment on time. My chart of congruous and incongruous plants was progressing slower than I had anticipated. Starting it the day it was due probably didn't help either.

"You are never going to believe what I heard this morning," Max puffed clutching his side.

"Slughorn quit Hogwarts to be a lead player in an off Broadway production of Cats?" I speculated hopefully.

"No, a sixth year-," he backtracked, "wait, what?"

"Nevermind—wishful thinking," I sighed. "Go on."

Max shook his head. "Right, well, I was in the Great Hall finishing up second breakfast when I overheard William Toms, that fourth year Ravenclaw with giant ears, tell a Gryffindor that the Ministry hauled a 7th year Ravenclaw from his dormitory late last night."

I dropped my quill and leaned forward in my chair. "Why?"

He slumped down on the loveseat across from me and ran a hand through his dark curls. "Dunno. Must have done something pretty bad though for the Ministry to take interest."

"Maybe he was practicing dark magic," I suggested. "Not maliciously, of course, but academically," I finished when he looked at me skeptically.

"Seems awfully risky for school work," he paused, "but he is a Ravenclaw." He said the last as if that explained it.

I sat back and folded my arms protectively across my chest. "I wonder which Ravenclaw."

"Bet it was Clarence Melcer," Max said darkly.

"The beater who knocked you from the Quidditch stands last year?" I smirked.

"The git's got a touch of evil in him," he grumbled, clearly embarrassed that the incident hadn't been forgotten.

"I doubt it was him. Marcy McDougal dated him last year and eventually ended things because he was 'too bloody nice,'" I raised an eyebrow, "her words, not mine. Besides, his mum's in the Ministry. The Magical and Muggle Relations department, I think."

Just then, a commotion on the girls' dormitory stairway reached our corner of the common room. A sobbing Aubrey Dupree was being helped down the stairs, presumably to find a more public forum for her admittedly impressive performance of hysterics.

"Whyyyy," she sobbed, covering her mouth with her fist. Her two friends patted her awkwardly on the back and shot each other uncomfortable looks. One muttered, "There, there. It's all right."

Aubrey straightened her spine almost immediately and shot her a venomous look, "My boyfriend is a _Death Eater_, you nitwit," she practically shouted, "It is _not_ all right!" Her friends recoiled.

Max elbowed me in the side and whispered, "Isn't Aubrey dating Trevor Delaney?"

I nodded, watching the girls disappear from the common room. "Last I heard."

"Merlin," he breathed. "Trevor, a Death Eater?"

I shrugged and reluctantly turned back to my potions assignment. "Guess so."

He stared at me incredulously. "Seriously, that's all you have to say? A classmate—a Ravenclaw no less—is forcibly removed from his common room in the middle of the night and chucked into Azkaban for being a Death Eater and all you can do is shrug?"

"He was not chucked into Azkaban," I rolled my eyes. "He's probably in a cozy meeting room sipping a hot beverage and waiting for his court appointed barrister."

Max paused, then furrowed his brow and pursed his lips. "I only caught that hot beverage bit, but I'm sure the rest is complete rubbish, too."

"You don't know what a barrister is, do you?" I asked knowingly, scratching an error from my chart.

"Don't be absurd. Of course I know what a barrister is. Who _wouldn't_ know what a barrister is!" He blustered. At my raised eyebrow he rushed on, "It's a special kind of, um, robe—worn in-the-court! A court robe!"

"A court appointed robe?" I smothered a laugh.

He heaved a sigh of defeat. "Oh shut it. It was the first thing to come to mind."

I laughed outright. "You should really consider taking Muggle Studies next term."

"I'm muggle-born," he glared.

"Precisely."

He frowned, "Wretch."

"Need I remind you of the time you accidentally set the toaster on fire?" I added another plant to my chart during the considerable silence that followed.

"Touché."

I smiled in what I hoped was a good-natured way. "Now bugger off so I can finish this before break ends."

"Yeah, yeah." He laughed, standing. "I have to talk to McGonagall anyways." He slung his bag over his shoulder and yanked my ponytail as he left.

I spent the remainder of break scrambling to finish my potions assignment on time. It wasn't until I was rolling it up and cramming it in my bag that I thought of Trevor Delaney again. Contrary to what Max believed, I was intrigued. I had loads of questions…and I knew just who to ask.

"Ahhhhh!"

"Will you _stop_ screaming like a ninny? It's me, Lucy!" I hissed, clamping my hand over Regulus' mouth. The dark broom cupboard was cramped and dusty. I stumbled over an overturned bucket as I pulled on the light.

"Mmmphhh."

"What?"

He rolled his eyes at me and ripped my hand from his mouth. "Imbecile."

"It's good to see you too, Reggie."

"Don't call me Regg—"

I slapped my hand back over his mouth. "You're fighting a losing battle, mate."

He bit my hand. "Ouch!"

"Did you _need_ something or do you just enjoy tormenting me?"

I traced the red teeth marks on my palm. "Can't a girl do both?" I ignored his glare. "All right, all right. I was hoping you might know more about what's happening with Trevor Delaney."

He stared at me blankly. If I hadn't been standing so close to him though, I might have missed the minute clenching of his jaw. "What's happening with Trevor Delaney?"

"You tell me," I quipped smartly.

"How am I supposed to know?"

"You're almost a Death Eater. I figured you probably receive a monthly newsletter or singing telegram or something from You-Know-Who." I said bluntly. Apparently too bluntly if his stony expression was any indication.

"Oh come on. That was a joke."

He frowned even deeper.

"Okay, not a very good one, I'll admit, but I should get points for trying," I smiled ruefully then shuffled my feet when he remained unmoved. "Tough crowd," I muttered.

Finally he spoke, "Look, I know you seem to think I have some kind of insider knowledge about every Dark Arts dealing in Hogwarts, but I'm not a bleeding Sneakoscope. If you really want to know what's going on in the Dark parts of Hogwarts, you'll have to drag someone else into a broom closet." He pushed past me and grabbed the doorknob.

"Come on, Regulus. At least give me a name."

His hand froze on the doorknob. He was silent for a moment before sighing. "My cousin Bellatrix would know." He turned to face me, his expression grave. "Of course, she'd just as soon slit your throat with a severing hex as tell _you_ anything."

I flinched and raised a hand to my throat.

"You're scared," he observed. "Good. You should be. Bellatrix is sadistic _and_ mad. A deadly combination." He studied me through calculating eyes. "I suppose I could ask her myself."

I brightened. "You would? Thank you so—"

"For a price," he interrupted.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "What price?"

He considered me for a moment, a blush staining his sharp cheeks. "If I talk to Bellatrix for you, you have to kiss me." He said the last bit quickly and forcefully.

I gaped. Then laughed. He looked offended.

"Why would you want a kiss from _me_?" I chuckled. "I'm sure you could find some pretty little Slytherin to pull into a broom closet."

He reddened and looked away. "I'm sure I could. I just—wouldn't know what to do with her once I got her in there." He cleared his throat.

I smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure you'd figure it out. It comes pretty naturally actually."

He frowned, a determined look covering his young, aristocratic features. They were really quite familiar, so much like Sirius' I could squint and almost imagine myself face to face with Sirius instead. "That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

I sighed. "Okay, fine. Come 'ere." I yanked his tie and pulled him closer.

He stumbled, eyes wide. "Right now?" He squeaked.

"Well, yeah. Got some place better to be?"

"No! But I – I – I'm not prepared."

"What's to prepare?" I laughed.

"Don't laugh at me."

I stifled a grin. "Sorry."

He stood completely rigid. His eyes widened even more as I leaned in. I could hear his ragged breathing and felt it against my lips. His eyes fluttered shut, almost painfully so, and I saw his lips pucker slightly.

I smiled. Then kissed his nose.

His eyes flew open as I took a step back. "What? That's it?"

I opened the door and took a step out into the corridor. "You never said what kind of kiss." I shook my head in mock disappointment. "I expected more from a Slytherin."

"That's not fair!"

I patted his cheek affectionately. "Life isn't fair."

He rolled his eyes. "How original."

I smiled. "I know. These things just come to me." I turned and started off down the corridor. "Don't forget your end of the deal."

I heard him snort. "You play dirty, Jones. But all right. I'll owl you when I know something."

"Do I detect a hint of admiration in your voice, Reggie?" I grinned over my shoulder.

"Sod off."

I laughed all the way back to the common room.


	9. Of Confrontations

Chapter 9 – Of Confrontations

I had been successfully avoiding Sirius for almost two weeks before he finally figured out that something was _off_. That's a bloke for you, though. Completely ignorant of your existence unless you're right in front of his wand, so to speak. Or maybe that was just Sirius. Either way, I was rather insulted when he slung an arm across my shoulders outside the Charms classroom and carried on as if I hadn't been dodging him for the past two weeks.

"Alright, you two?"

I rolled my eyes at Max and shrugged Sirius' arm from my shoulder. Max grinned at my discomfort, but nodded before glancing over his shoulder at the closed classroom door.

"You're here early. What gives?" He darted a look behind Sirius. "And where are the rest of your merry band of men?"

Sirius laughed. "Peter was still in bed last I saw him, and as of ten minutes ago, Remus was trying to drag James away from Lily's corner of the library. I decided I'd better venture on alone."

Snickering, I pictured James standing in a darkened corner of the library gazing like a moonstruck schoolgirl at Lily as she bent over a book. Sadly, it wasn't all that implausible. I silently wished Remus luck. He would need it.

Sirius snaked his arm around my waist, this time more purposefully than the last. I slapped it away.

"Ouch!" He exclaimed. "What was that for?"

Finally. He was so obtuse sometimes.

"Haven't you noticed, we aren't exactly on speaking terms right now!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Max slowly turn and make his way towards a small group of gathering Gryffindors near the door.

"We aren't?" He asked puzzled.

"No! Don't tell me I've been ignoring you for nearly two weeks and you haven't even noticed."

Sirius' eyes darted back and forth for a few moments, his expression more revealing than anything he could have said.

"Forget it," I huffed. "It doesn't matter anyway. It's not like anyone's noticed anything." I paused before finishing meaningfully. "_You_ certainly haven't."

"I'm sorry?" Sirius said, clearly still not sure what exactly he was apologizing for. Before I could get another barb in, we were accosted by his delinquent friends, followed almost immediately by Lily and another Gryffindor girl. The two girls swiftly passed us, ignoring the boys completely but sending me friendly smiles.

"I think she's warming to me," James said hopefully, watching Lily join her friends across the corridor.

Remus patted him on the back. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, mate."

Peter giggled. I narrowed my eyes, a sudden feeling of loathing creeping up my neck as I watched him fiddle with the strap of his bag. That was strange. I'd never had a problem with Peter before. Sure, he was a bit of a simpleton and followed Sirius and James around like a nargle, but he was pretty harmless.

Just then, the door to the classroom opened and the seventh year Ravenclaws and Slytherins filed into the corridor. Near the back of the group, Bellatrix Black and Walden McNair lingered whispering darkly to each other. When McNair caught sight of me, he smirked and mimed a lewd gesture. It didn't take a genius to know what he meant.

Instantly, Sirius was in front of me, nearly face to face with the handsome, yet dangerous Slytherin. He growled furiously, "You ever do that to her again and you won't have a prick to jerk off, pretend or otherwise!"

McNair continued smirking, "Can't the girl speak for herself?"

"She's not interested. Get lost."

"So you say. But I'd like to hear it from her." He fingered his wand, his eyes glittering darkly at me from over Sirius' shoulder.

I put my hand on Sirius' arm and pushed him out of the way. He didn't go willingly. Bellatrix cackled from her place leaning against the wall when Remus and James stepped protectively behind me.

I faced McNair. Maybe it was time for a little honesty. "Listen, you miserable excuse for a wizard." I hissed, watching the smirk slide right off his face. "You can bet every galleon in Gringotts that if I ever get my hands on your little wand, it will never shoot sparks again. Now bugger off."

It was silent for several heartbeats before McNair lifted the corner of his lips in a slight smile. Bellatrix was frozen, probably in surprise, still leaning against the wall. "Well done, Jones." He said softly. "Didn't know you had it in you." He gazed at me with a strange expression on his face. Had it been anyone but McNair, I would have said it was admiration, but McNair didn't admire anyone but himself.

Sirius growled under his breath, his patience growing thin. Sensing he was outnumbered, McNair chose that moment to signal to Bellatrix their leaving. But before sauntering off, he reached up and softly ran his finger down the bridge of my nose, hovering just above my top lip. "Next time," he whispered and then was gone.

Sirius started after him, but Remus and Peter held him back. "It's not worth it, Padfoot," James said starting for the open classroom door. "He'll get what's coming to him. Just wait."

I grabbed Sirius' arm and pulled him down the corridor and into the classroom. I was glad that James had stopped him, but something in the way he said 'just wait,' sent shivers down my spine. I was sure glad I wasn't McNair.

That night, I found Max and Reid Harper, another sixth year, lounging in the corner of the common room. I lugged my heavy bag over to an empty chair nearby and slumped down into the soft cushions to study for my Transfiguration exam.

Reid looked up from his copy of Quidditch Throughout the Ages and smiled. "Hey Lucy. Put off studying again?" He asked, nodding towards my Transfiguration text.

"How'd you guess?" I laughed.

"Want some help?" He offered helpfully.

I lit up. "That'd be fantastic!" He put his book down and pulled another chair over to mine. Max looked up from his prostrate position on the loveseat.

"Do you two mind? I'm trying to get a quick kip."

I smothered a smile. His short, curly hair, usually so tame, was sticking up in several directions. He looked charmingly rumpled.

Just then, a group of first year girls rushed giggling into the common room from the dormitories. When they saw Max, eyes closed and sprawled on the loveseat, they erupted into poorly concealed whispers and giggles before settling themselves on the other side of the room to continue whatever it was first year girls did.

I grinned at the object of their affection.

"Stop that," he said without opening his eyes.

"Stop what?" I asked innocently.

He cracked one eye open to look at me. "I know what you're thinking, and it's not even the slightest bit amusing."

"What am I thinking?" I challenged. Reid elbowed me in the side with a grin.

He blushed and shut both eyes again. "Forget it."

I chuckled. "Hey, female attention is female attention...even if they are first years." A pillow smacked me in the face before I even finished. Having successfully dodged the pillow, Reid laughed loudly at my expense.

"Keep it up, Jones, and you'll be doing your Charms essay solo," Max taunted.

I smacked my palm against my forehead. "Charms essay! Bullocks, I forgot." I looked at my watch. Transfiguration was first thing in the morning with Charms directly after. I'd never find time to complete both. I slanted Max a coy look, "Max, darling," I began.

"Nope. Forget it." He cut me off. "Not until I get an apology."

"Fine," I sighed. "I'm sorry for making fun of your status as a first year sex symbol."

He sat up and pulled a roll of parchment from his bag then tossed it on the table between us. "Seeing as that's probably as close to an apology as I'm likely to get, I'll accept it."

Reid nodded. "Good thinking, mate."

"You're too good to me," I said, ignoring Reid.

"I know." Max shook his head.

"But you love me."

He grinned. "So it seems." He slung his bag onto his shoulder and headed for his dormitory.

"Love you!" I called after him.

I could hear him chuckling as he began climbing the stairs, a muttered, "I know," bringing a smile to my face as I turned once more to Reid and my Transfiguration notes.

Two hours later, a sharp rapping on the common room entrance broke my concentration. Reid had called it a night nearly thirty minutes earlier and the common room was empty. I clambered to my feet, determined to turn whoever it was away and finally head to bed.

I pushed the statue of Helga Hufflepuff aside and climbed out into the barely lit corridor. A dark figure was leaning against the opposite wall, a robe of some sort hanging from its arm. The figured stepped into the light.

"Sirius," I breathed. "You gave me a fright."

"Sorry, but I figured you'd want to go with me tonight."

"Go where?" I asked, confused by his vagueness. Was it deliberate?

He cleared his throat. "Hospital wing. It's—" He stopped short. In a flash, I knew something was wrong.

"Regulus? Is it Regulus?" I asked in a rush.

He nodded. "They think he opened a cursed letter. He's been unconscious since this morning. They're not sure when he's going to wake up. He's not responding to the potions Madame Pomfrey's given him." He rubbed his forehead anxiously.

"Come on," I urged. "Let's not waste any time. Maybe he's already awake."

With that, Sirius threw the cloak he had draped over his arm over the both of us and we raced off to the hospital wing, worry creating knots in our stomachs and pain in our hearts.

We hadn't been sitting at Regulus' bedside for long when Sirius broke the silence. "They don't know who sent the letter. I asked, but all they know is that it came from a school owl."

My head, which had been drooping in my chair, shot up. "A student sent it?" I suddenly felt sick. I could think of only one person who might do such a thing and I had sent Regulus right into her path.

Sirius shrugged. "Most likely. It's not like a professor sent it. So that only leaves students." He must have noticed something was wrong because his eyes narrowed. "What do you know, Luce?"

I swallowed. "It's probably nothing, really." I tapped my fingers nervously on the edge of Regulus' hospital bed. "Regulus was just doing me a little favor, that's all."

"What kind of favor?" Sirius asked, his voice deadly quiet.

"I, uh," I cleared my throat, "I might have encouraged him to ask Bellatrix what she knew about Trevor Delaney."

He sat very still, the shadows engulfing everything but his slender hands, which now gripped the bed sheet in front of him tightly, so tightly, in fact, that his knuckles had turned white.

The silence continued until I could no longer bear it. "Please Sirius. Say something," I pleaded. "I'm sorry. I didn't know she'd hurt her own family!"

That seemed to snap him out of his silent rage. "Have you _met_ Bellatrix?" He asked incredulously, and not without a bit of a sneer.

"Merlin, you're right. I didn't think. I'm so sorry." I looked at Regulus' still form and felt immediate and crushing regret.

"You're right. You didn't think. You pulled my brother into even more trouble without even talking to me!" He fumed.

I put my head in my hands and tried to breathe. What if Regulus never woke up? How would I live with myself? I screwed up, and for the first time in my life, I didn't know how to fix it.

"Don't be so hard on her, Sirius. I'll live," a muffled voice interrupted.

I sat up in surprise and looked at Regulus to find his eyes open and a slight smile on his aristocratic face. Sirius rushed to his side and grabbed his hand.

"You're awake!" He thumped him on the shoulder. "I knew you'd come 'round."

Regulus smiled weakly. "Sure you did. That's why you've been laying a guilt trip on Jones here for nearly killing me."

I cracked a smile. Sirius looked embarrassed. "I might have been a trifle hard on her."

"I deserved it," I responded good-naturedly. "But since you're awake, Reggie, I have to ask, did you find anything out?"

"Lucy!" Sirius growled.

"What?" I shrugged. "Not using the information would be like he went through all of this for nothing."

Regulus chuckled softly. "I've got to hand it to you, Jones. You're persistent."

"That's one word for it," Sirius muttered.

Regulus continued. "All I got out of Bellatrix before she realized I was up to something was that Trevor was involved in brewing an illegal potion of some kind."

Sirius and I traded anxious looks. "An illegal potion like the one you were told to make?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Probably. I was getting up the nerve to ask for more details when Bellatrix surprised me with some pretty poorly executed Legilimency." He shot me a regretful look. "I'm afraid she knows all about you now."

Sirius flinched. "I have a really bad feeling about all this." He reached across the bed to grab my hand. "I think you both should just forget about this whole mess."

Regulus shook his head. "No, after what I've seen and done, the only way I'll be able to live with myself is if I do everything I can to expose their plans." He held his hand up to silence Sirius, who looked ready to interrupt. "Besides, it's too late for anything else. I'm in this, Sirius, whether you like it or not. It's time to grow up and deal with the hand I've been dealt." He paused. "You, too."

Sirius looked at him for a long moment, the silence stretching until finally he quietly spoke, "You're right. As much as I still consider you my little brother, you have some very grown-up problems, and I won't always be around to help solve them." He squeezed my hand and looked into my eyes, searching for something before turning back. "But for as long as I _am_ here, you can count on my help."

"Mine, too," I added. "I got you into this and I sure as hell am going to try to get you out of it."

Sirius smiled. "There you go again, Jones. Talking tough."

I blushed, remembering the last time he made fun of my tendency to talk tough. I squeezed his hand back and raised my eyebrows. His grin widened and his eyes flickered to the door.

Regulus groaned. "Oh gross. Just go already."

Sirius laughed and hauled me to my feet bidding his brother goodbye. I waved over my shoulder as I was dragged from the hospital wing into the dark corridors of Hogwarts. I should have known it would be impossible to avoid Sirius Black. But who was I kidding? I had never wanted to avoid him at all.


End file.
